The Regnum Christi Movement offers its members some guidelines of a gospel-based spirituality as an ideal of Christian life. The spiritual path that Regnum Christi members walk mainly consists in knowing, loving, imitating, and proclaiming Christ. This is the path and these are the goals.

Below, we offer some resources that can help nurture the spiritual life of Movement members and of any Christian.

Great crowds were traveling
with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, "If
any one comes to me without hating his father
and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even
his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever
does not carry his own cross and come after
me cannot be my disciple. Which of you wishing to
construct a tower does not first sit down and
calculate the cost to see if there is enough for
its completion? Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding
himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should
laugh at him and say, ´This one began to
build but did not have the resources to finish.´ Or
what king marching into battle would not first sit
down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he
can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty
thousand troops? But if not, while he is still
far away, he will send a delegation to ask
for peace terms. In the same way, everyone of you
who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be
my disciple."

Introductory Prayer:Lord Jesus, I come to you
once again in prayer. Even though I cannot see
you, my faith tells me that you are present.
You are ready to listen and desire to speak with
me. Your presence gives me hope, because you are
the all-powerful God, the creator of heaven and earth.
You are the source of all that is good in
my life. Nothing happens to me without your knowing
and permitting it. My hope leads me to love. I
want to be one with you in mind and
heart, identifying myself with your will and your standards.

Petition: Lord, help me to pick up my cross
and follow you.

1. The Crowd and the Disciples: “Great
crowds” followed Jesus. His popularity increased. The time was
ripe to win over the crowds with some promise
of well-being. However, Jesus does not act like a
politician. It’s not about winning votes, but about winning souls
with a message of salvation. It’s not about empty
promises, but about promises of eternal fulfillment for those
who follow him. He calls me to be one of
his few faithful disciples, who esteem all things as
rubbish to attain Christ.

2. Hate and Love: St. John
tells me that “God is love.” Jesus himself tells
me that the greatest commandments are to love God
above all else and to love my neighbor as myself.
Why then does he ask me to “hate” so
many lovable people and things? Perhaps the better expression
is to “renounce.” Jesus asks me to love only one
thing — rather, one person — absolutely. Only God
should be the absolute center of my life. All other
loves come after and are at the service of
this supreme love. Is there something or someone that
competes with God for first place in my life?

3.
Opt for the Cross: If Jesus’ message is not
softened, it is a difficult message. Carrying one’s own cross,
shouldering the instrument of torture and death is the
equivalent of cooperating in one’s own death. That’s what
Christ asks me to “sit down and decide” if I
am willing to do. It is the condition for
becoming his disciple and for making it to the
end of my life as a faithful friend and follower
of my Lord.

Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus
Christ, you lead me by example. I thank and
praise you, because you go before me and show
me the way. You also give me strength to carry
my cross every day. So, as I kneel down
and consider what you ask of your followers, I decide
to undertake this arduous task out of love for
you.

Resolution: Looking ahead to what this day
holds for me, I can identify my cross. I
will resolve to carry it, asking God’s help in
prayer and striving to bear it with spiritual joy.

The daily meditation is a service of Regnum Christi that offers people a Gospel reflection through e-mail. You can view the weekly meditation on this link or listen the podcast version here.